Advertisers, agencies, media agencies, and marketing communications experts are invited to enter their finest work into this long-standing prestigious international competition of creativity. Awards will be presented at the celebratory 30th Golden Drum Awards Show on 10 October 2024 in Portorož, Slovenia. 

Golden Drum Competition 2024

Golden Drum is admitting submissions for all works that have been aired, published, or implemented for the first time between 22 August 2023 and 21 August 2024.

The entries will be reviewed and judged for awards by 56 jury members from over 30 countries. 

This year, the festival presents the new B2B group in the Creative Business Excellence Section, offering businesses new opportunities to showcase their success in tackling the fast-changing industry challenges. The categories in this group encompass a range of B2B-focused initiatives, such as B2B Brand Re: Fresh, B2B Storytelling, etc.

Agencies, advertisers, clients, design/production houses, media companies, and other creatives from 42 countries are invited to enter their works in six diverse sections: One-Channel Drum, Omni-Channel Drum, Craft Drum, Creative Media Excellence Drum, Creative Business Excellence Drum, and a special All Juries Section.

Golden Drum is proud to announce that it is included in the WARC Creative Rankings and from this year forward also in The Drum World Creative Rankings.

Read more about The Golden Drum Competition here. 

Young Drummers Competition

In partnership with the Slovenian Tourist Board, Golden Drum invites young creatives under 30 to participate in the Young Drummers Competition 2024.

This year’s challenge is to design a compelling poster or poster series on the topic "You can’t spell Slovenia without love and that is why you must love it”.

The winner of the competition will receive a 1,000 EUR monetary prize and a full delegate pass to attend the 30th Golden Drum Festival. All authors of the shortlisted entries will be awarded with a complimentary delegate pass.

Young Drummers Jury members, Aleksandra Lipej, and Tina Sračnjek from the Slovenian Tourist Board offer tips:

"The creative challenge of this year's Young Drummers competition is to fall in love with Slovenia. As the famous statement says, you can’t spell Slovenia without love. So, imagine you are fresh in love and let your creativity flow, because that is the best part. Share your thoughts, and the exciting news is that AI can assist you in creating the best creative poster. So, do your research and captivate everyone's hearts with Slovenia to the point where they eagerly anticipate visiting. The goal is to present Slovenia as a vibrant and upcoming "it" destination through an inspiring creative idea with a fresh twist."

The Young Drummers Competition deadline for entries is 9 September 2024.

Read more about the Young Drummers Competition here.

First speakers announced 

As the Golden Drum Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary, the program promises an array of educational lectures and thought-provoking sessions. The stage will feature a diverse line-up of experts from around the globe, offering attendees ample opportunity for learning and inspiration from world-class

  • Adam Kerj, Chief Creative Officer at Accenture Song Europe, Creative Business Excellence Jury President, and a recipient of over 100 major global advertising awards is set to lead a captivating session.
  • Kentaro Kimura, the International Chief Creative Officer and Corporate Officer at Hakuhodo, Founder of Hakuhodo Kettle, and Omni-Channel Jury President will address the complexities of modern problems clients and society face. In his session, he will present how innovative global solutions can be inspired by exploring local cultures.
  • Pum Lefebure, the Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer at Design Army, and Craft Drum Jury President will explore the designer's profound power to unite, communicate, and inspire action. Her session, »Design for Impact and Action«, will illustrate how creative endeavours can leave a lasting impact on communities and catalyse positive change.
  • Janet Levine, Global Head of Invention at Mindshare and Creative Media Excellence Jury President will take us to Media Utopia. By envisioning the future of media and marketing across various Utopian Lands, she will underscore strategic changes that marketers can adopt to future-proof their businesses amid pressing industry challenges. 
  • Malcolm Poynton, Global Chief Creative Officer and President Creative of Cheil Worldwide will share new psychological findings showing that emotive creativity drives greater success, revealing unexpected insights about brand perception and advertising effectiveness.
  • Jay Richards, CEO of Imagen Insights will delve into the significant shifts in consumer behaviour represented by Gen Alpha and their implications for brands and agencies. He will underscore the importance of marketers listening to Gen Z and leveraging their insights to effectively engage with Gen Alpha.
  • Riku Vassinen, CEO of Hasan & partners will challenge the industry’s fixation with an overreaching brand purpose that has led to a loss of focus, and instead, unveil the most sustainable ways to build enduring brands – by integrating creativity and humour into the approach. 
  • Guy Wieynk, the global CEO of AnalogFolk Group and One-Channel Drum Jury President will illuminate the vibrant creative melting pot of Eastern Europe. In his talk titled »Unveiling Creativity: Embracing Diversity in Eastern Europe,« Guy will underscore the significance of inclusivity in the arts in shaping a brighter future.

Key festival information

About Golden Drum

The Golden Drum Festival was born with the simple idea of bringing together creatives from different, back then often defined as New European countries. Thirty years ago, we learned to play by the rules while dancing to the beat of our own drum. In the realm of advertising, rules aren’t guidelines; they are the canvas for our artistic rebellion. We respect them, we understand them, and then we twist them into something unforgettably unique. The Golden Drum Festival was chosen as one of the seven regional award shows included in WARC Rankings and is included in The Drum World Creative Rankings.